Hoard of allegedly stolen goods recovered

Danvers Police alerted officials from across the North Shore after arresting three youths Monday who may have been responsible for a string of thefts in recent months.

Cathryn Keefe O'Hare/cohare@cnc.com

The cache of confiscated material from the defendants included GPS systems, satellite radios, wallets, money and drugs, said Danvers Police Sgt. Robert Bettencourt. Police put the items on display for a few hours at the station for possible identification and links to prior crimes.

The three defendants — Robert Griffin, 18, and Salvatore DiPrizio, 17, both of Revere, and Corey Accettullo, 17, of Malden — are also co-defendants in a pending, similar Cambridge case, Assistant District Attorney Poppi Hagan said during the arraignment Monday afternoon.

“This was a good arrest,” Bettencourt said, noting that help from the community made it possible. “We’ve been putting unmarked cars on the street trying to catch these guys,” he added, so police were able to respond very quickly.

The trio was arrested at 2:03 a.m. Monday after an Alma Lane resident alerted police. Her barking dog and other noises alarmed her, and she looked out to see two males on the street. They got into a small SUV and drove without lights over to Prince Place, Assistant DA Hagan told the court.

Police stopped a car that matched the citizen’s description on nearby Walnut Street, said Hagan. The officers smelled “an overpowering odor” of marijuana. After a search, the police found a large quantity of marijuana and “properties believed to be stolen,” Hagan said. Some belonged to a resident of Alma Lane, Hagan said, adding that other police personnel who had been to the station that morning had been able to positively identify some of the items as stolen.

The three defendants were charged with breaking and entry in the night, receiving stolen property, possession of burglarious tools, and intent to distribute a Class D drug. In addition, Griffin was charged with possession and intent to distribute a Class C drug, which was “packaged in a manner that would be consistent with distribution,” Hagan said.

Hagan urged the court to revoke the terms of the April 23 Cambridge arrest, which allowed the defendants to be released on their own recognizance. Given the time frame, “it shows an inclination not to follow the court orders,” Hagan said. She also argued the likelihood of additional charges from other towns, while urging $5,000 cash bail for each defendant on the new charges.

The defendants’ lawyers argued that the police had “absolutely no probably cause to stop the motor vehicle.” They also argued that the defendants were young and had no criminal records. One worked at Kelly’s in Revere, one was getting his GED and hoped to join the military, another was working and getting his GED, and none had a history of violence.

After discussing the possibility of an ankle bracelet to track the youths, the judge revoked the terms of the Cambridge arrest, which meant the youths would be placed in custody, said court spokesman Steve O’Connell. They also each received $1,000 cash bail on the new charges, with warnings that if they were in any more legal trouble while the case was pending they could be held without bail for up to 60 days.

In addition, they were ordered to stay away from the Alma Lane residence from which items were apparently stolen, and to stay alcohol and drug free.